The 7 best prospects in the 2019 NBA Draft, ranked

The new college basketball season might only be a few weeks into its existence, but it’s never too early to start thinking about how it impacts the NBA draft. There’s already an elite tier of talent forming at the top of the draft that smart pro teams are keeping an eye on.

Every NBA draft has been defined by freshmen since the one-and-done rule went into existence in 2005, and that trend has only been solidified in recent years. Mikal Bridges, the tenth pick in 2018, is only upperclassman to be selected in the top 10 over the last two drafts. Every other player has either been a college freshman or an international star.

The NBA changed its lottery rules this year to prevent tanking, though there’s still a big incentive to land a high pick in what appears to be a top-heavy draft. While players will continue to emerge throughout the season, it already feels like there are seven freshmen who are separating themselves from the pack.

These are the seven college freshmen NBA fans need to be keeping an eye on right now.

Kevin Porter Jr. was always lurking. Though he wasn’t a McDonald’s All-American or consensus five-star recruit (ESPN ranked him No. 40), his dynamic scoring ability gave him a chance to be a one-and-done in a freshmen class that lacked the depth of the last few years. It’s only taken four games at USC for Porter to triumphantly announce he is indeed at that level.

Porter hails for Seattle, and you can see it in his game. Like Jamal Crawford or Zach LaVine before him, Porter is wired to get buckets on a dazzling variety of stepback jumpers, acrobatic finishes, and slashing drives. Unlike Crawford and LaVine, Porter actually has the frame (220 lbs) to hold up on the defensive end, contribute as a rebounder, and even block some shots.

Is Porter’s game more flashy than functional? It will be something to watch as the season goes along, particularly in regards to his assist-to-turnover ratio. For now, we’ll focus on his rare talent level that gives him a natural ease as a scorer. He could very well be the Trae Young of this draft as a recruit ranked outside the top-20 who ultimately gets taken much higher in the NBA draft.

Grimes won’t be asked to dominate on a loaded Kansas team this season. That’s just fine. His game is as much about fitting in as standing out, providing versatility, toughness and shooting ability with an advanced feel for the game that makes him one of the safest prospects outside the top-five.

Grimes can be whatever you need. He can play as a spot-up shooter, as he did against Michigan State in the season opener, when he canned 6-of-10 three-pointers. He can also act as a primary playmaker, as he did in his second game against Vermont, when he tallied 10 assists.

Grimes will have to prove himself on defense. Scouts will also question if he has the explosion to beat defenders off the dribble and finish at the basket. Still, this is a guard with a solid all-around skill set who knows how to play the game. There’s a lot of value in that.

Bol Bol was always going to be appointment viewing at Oregon this season. With a famous father, absurd length and an incredibly unique skill set, Bol is the type of player you can’t take your eyes off of. He’s proving there’s substance beyond the hype during the start of his college career.

In many ways, Bol is the ideal center for this era. He’s a knockdown shooter who hit 47 percent of his threes on Nike’s EYBL grassroots circuit and is currently making 75 percent of his free throws at Oregon. He has tremendous shot blocking potential thanks to a wingspan that is reported to be as long as 7’8. So far, he’s blocking four shots per game for the Ducks.

A three-point shooting, rim protecting center sounds great, but there are still obvious questions. Does he play hard all the time? Can he hold up physically with skinny legs, narrow hips and a high center of gravity? Bol is unique in so many ways and that’s part of what makes him so much fun to watch. Look deeper and you’ll see a player who can be damn effective, too.

Nassir Little wasn’t supposed to be in this position a year ago. Little wasn’t even ranked as a top-100 prospect on Rivals until January before blossoming into five-star recruit and proving he could compete with anyone in his class on the high school All-Star game circuit.

There’s a lot to like about Little physically: at 6’6, 220 lbs. with a reported 7’2 wingspan, he has great defensive versatility and a non-stop motor. He seems to just be scratching the surface of his skill level, going from an energy guy to a legitimately skilled scorer who can knock down spot-up jump shots and finish plays as a cutter.

Little is far from a finished product, and that’s part of what makes him intriguing. If he’s gotten this much better over the last year, who knows where he can go from here. If he stays committed defensively, proves his jumper is legit and can start to improve his handle, he has all the markings of the type of versatile two-way forward NBA teams covet.

It would be easy to forget about Cam Reddish alongside his two more highly touted teammates at Duke, but his natural talent level refuses to let that happen. Reddish is oozing with raw ability, combining guard skills in a 6’8 frame with a 7’1 wingspan.

Reddish makes everything look easy. He’s a smooth scorer who can create separation for his pull-up jumpers off the dribble or drain threes as a spot-up shooter. He’s capable of initiating the offense with the ball in his hands after playing point guard in high school. He also has the length to bother any opposing ball handler and get in the passing lanes.

Within a small sample at Duke so far this season, he’s making 43 percent of his threes, 90 percent of his free throws and has a 2:1 assist-to-turnover ratio. There are questions about his motor, his focus, and his finishing ability as a slasher, but there is so much to like about his game. Even as your eyeballs drift elsewhere watching Duke, don’t forget about Reddish.

R.J. Barrett’s brief basketball career has been defined by achievement. He aced every test he faced as a prep star, establishing himself as the top player in his high school class, impressing pro scouts at events like Basketball Without Boarders, and leading Canada over John Calipari’s favored U.S. team in the FIBA U18 semifinals last summer.

Barrett has lived up to the hype at Duke. He’s an advanced slasher with long strides and rare finishing ability around the basket. His three-point shot looks improved, making 35 percent of his attempts through four games. He also continues to be at his best against top competition, pouring in 33 points against No. 2 Kentucky in his college debut.

For all his talent, Barrett still has to prove that he can be efficient. He’s averaging 24 points per game right now, but he’s taking 20 shots to get there. There is nothing particularly impressive about shooting 43 percent from the field. Barrett always has his foot on the gas — as he learns to pick his spots better, it should only make him more effective.

Zion Williamson was a viral sensation before he ever arrived at Duke, but there were serious questions about his fit in the modern NBA. How effective could he be without a jump shot? What position would he play? Was his 285-pound frame simply too heavy for a league that’s downsizing at an exponential rate?

These remain fair questions, but at a certain point they do not matter. Williamson is a special talent the likes of which this game has never really seen before. He has the ability to be a de facto point guard as a willing and unselfish passer with impressive vision. He’s an automatic finisher in the paint. He can also blow by defenders off the dribble, converting speed-to-power from a standstill like Khalil Mack blowing by a poor, would-be blocker.

Yes, Williamson is a great dunker, but he’s also so much more than that. His nose for the ball shows defensively, particularly as a shot blocker and rebounder. He never seems rushed or hurried, playing under control at all times. Best of all, his apparent team-first attitude is the type of approach that can sweep through an entire roster.

Williamson is hard to project in the NBA because he’s so unique, but his physical gifts, his feel for the game, and his determined approach to being great are undeniable. How does Zion Williamson fit into today’s game? Just draft him and figure everything else out later.